Decoding food labels: Hidden sugars you didn’t know you were eating
Think you’re cutting back on sugar? If you’re not reading food labels like a detective, you might be getting more sugar than you think—just hidden under names you don’t recognize. From your “healthy” granola to low-fat yogurt, sugar lurks where you least expect it.
Here’s how to spot it—and outsmart it.
Sugar by any other name
Food manufacturers have mastered the art of disguise. Sugar isn’t always labeled as “sugar”—in fact, it can go by 60+ different names. Some common aliases include:
- Sucrose
- Fructose
- Glucose
- High fructose corn syrup (hfcs)
- Maltose
- Dextrose
- Cane juice
- Agave nectar
- Brown rice syrup
- Molasses
- Fruit juice concentrate
Pro tip: Anything ending in “-ose” or labeled as “syrup” is a red flag for added sugar.
Natural doesn’t mean healthy
Many Indian consumers think that “jaggery,” “honey,” or “coconut sugar” on a label makes the product guilt-free. While these are more natural, they still behave like sugar in the body—causing insulin spikes and contributing to weight gain if consumed in excess.
Bottom line: Whether it’s refined sugar or artisanal honey, your body sees them all as glucose in the end.
Where sugar hides
You expect sugar in cookies, not in your ketchup or whole wheat bread. Here are everyday foods that often sneak in sugar:
- Breakfast cereals (even the “healthy” ones)
- Flavored yogurt
- Granola & protein bars
- Nut butters
- Salad dressings
- Instant oats or soup packets
- Packaged Indian snacks like khakhra or namkeen
These foods might be marketed as “low fat” or “natural” but often contain high sugar content to make up for taste.
How to read a food label for sugar
1. Check the ingredients list
Ingredients are listed in order of quantity. If any form of sugar is one of the first three ingredients, it’s a sweet trap.
2. Look at ‘total sugars’ vs. ‘added sugars’
On nutrition labels, ‘total sugar’ includes both natural (like fruit sugar) and ‘added sugar’, which is the one to watch out for.
3. Grams add up
4 grams = 1 teaspoon of sugar. If your “health drink” has 20g of added sugar, that’s 5 teaspoons—nearly your full daily limit.
4. Watch serving sizes
That tiny bottle of juice might say “10g sugar per serving”—but if the bottle contains 2 servings, you’re actually drinking 20g.
Daily sugar limit: How much is too much?
According to the World Health Organization (who), the daily recommended limit for added sugar is:
- Women: 25g (6 teaspoons)
- Men: 36g (9 teaspoons)
Most packaged snacks cross that limit in just one serving.
Smart swaps & final tips
- Replace sugar-laden products with better sweetners such as monk fruit, erythritol blends, allulose blends etc (zero calories, zero glycemic impact).
- Choose plain Greek yogurt and add your own fruit.
- Make homemade granola with nuts and seeds.
- Don’t get misled by labels like “low fat,” “natural,” or “organic”—they don’t mean sugar-free.
The sweet truth
Reading labels isn’t just a healthy habit—it’s a superpower. By learning the hidden names of sugar and decoding food labels, you can make informed choices that truly support your health goals.
Because staying off sugar isn’t just about saying no to dessert—it’s about knowing what’s really in your food.
